… watching for the brushstrokes of God
I do not know if these hands will become
Malcolm’s – raised and fisted
or Martin’s – open and asking
or James’s – curled around a pen.
I do not know if these hands will be
Rosa’s
or Ruby’s
gently gloved
and fiercely folded
calmly in a lap,
on a desk,
around a book,
ready
to change the world…
Jacqueline Woodson, Brown Girl Dreaming
What story do your hands tell? What do your hands open toward? How will you change the world?
“Movement forward, movement towards God and one another requires that we examine our most difficult questions, our most painful stories and the ways in which we shield ourselves from living fully in the attempt to protect ourselves from pain or suffering” Shawna Bowman
What are the questions and stories that are most difficult? What are the hidden wounds that keep us from living fully?
“Gather together a large group of unsettled bodies – or assemble a group of bodies and then unsettle them – and you get a mob or a riot. But bring a large group of settled bodies together and you have a potential movement – and a potential force for tremendous good in the world. A calm, settled body is the foundation for health, for healing, for helping others, and for changing the world. ” Resmaa Menakem, My Grandmother’s Hands
How do we settle ourselves in these unsettled times?
With the Eyes of the Heart 